Bill Esterson MP, chair of parliament’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, visited the Truro headquarters of heat pump manufacturer Kensa.
The chair of the committee was given a behind-the-scenes tour of the factory, witnessing first-hand how Kensa’s Shoebox and Shoebox NX heat pumps are manufactured.
He also visited the nearby village of Stithians, home to Kensa’s world-first ‘Heat the Streets’ project, to see how an entire neighbourhood has had its heating transformed.
Launched in 2022, the scheme saw over 40 homes fitted with ground source heat pumps and connected to a shared network of boreholes and underground pipework, providing each property with clean, affordable heating.
With the long-awaited Future Homes Standard expected this year, phasing out gas boilers for new homes, discussions during the visit focused on the role of heat pumps in delivering clean, affordable heating for these properties.
Bill Esterson said: “As chair of the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, I get to visit companies across the country making a massive difference to people’s lives, and Kensa is a great example of what the transition to a low carbon economy has to offer.
“I was very impressed by everything I saw at Kensa’s Truro factory. From the dedication to British supply chains, the creation of well-paid green jobs, which is really important to Cornwall and really important across the country, to the commitment to tackling fuel poverty and heat decarbonisation at scale.
“Kensa’s networked heat pumps are a tried and tested technology that has been installed in thousands of homes across the country and has a crucial role to play in decarbonising Britain’s homes from terraced streets to high-rise blocks of flats. I look forward to continuing to work with Kensa to identify evidence of the benefits of networked heat pumps and the Future Homes Standard, so that policies are implemented as soon as possible which allow more people to benefit from affordable low carbon heat.”